Student Guide. Living Ethical Lives

Transcription

1 Student Guide Living Ethical Lives Clergy Development Church of the Nazarene Kansas City, Missouri ext. 2468; (USA) 2005

2 Copyright 2005 Nazarene Publishing House, Kansas City, MO USA. Created by Church of the Nazarene Clergy Development, Kansas City, MO USA. All rights reserved. All scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NASB: From the New American Standard Bible (NASB), copyright the Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, Used by permission. NIV: From the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Notice to educational providers: This is a contract. By using these materials you accept all the terms and conditions of this Agreement. This Agreement covers all Faculty Guides, Student Guides, and instructional resources included in this Module. Upon your acceptance of this Agreement, Clergy Development grants to you a nonexclusive license to use these curricular materials provided that you agree to the following: 1. Use of the Modules. You may distribute this Module in electronic form to students or other educational providers. You may make and distribute electronic or paper copies to students for the purpose of instruction, as long as each copy contains this Agreement and the same copyright and other proprietary notices pertaining to the Module. If you download the Module from the Internet or similar online source, you must include the Clergy Development copyright notice for the Module with any online distribution and on any media you distribute that includes the Module. You may translate, adapt, and/or modify the examples and instructional resources for the purpose of making the instruction culturally relevant to your students. However, you must agree that you will not sell these modified materials without express, written permission from Clergy Development. 2. Copyright. The Module is owned by Clergy Development and is protected by United States Copyright Law and International Treaty provisions. Except as stated above, this Agreement does not grant you any intellectual property rights in the Module. 3. Restrictions. You may not sell copies of this Module in any form except to recover the minimum reproduction cost of electronic media or photocopy expense. You may not modify the wording or original intent of the Module for commercial use. 4. Unpublished rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States. Clergy Development Church of the Nazarene 6401 The Paseo Kansas City, MO USA The Modular Course of Study is an outcome-based curriculum designed to implement the educational paradigm defined by the Breckenridge Consultations. Clergy Development is responsible for maintaining and distributing the Modular Course of Study for the Church of the Nazarene. Members of the development committee for the Modular Course of Study were Michael W. Vail, Ph.D., Series Curriculum Editor, Clergy Development Jerry D. Lambert, Commissioner, International Board of Education Ron Blake, Pastor, Detroit First Church of the Nazarene, Detroit, MI Al Truesdale, Ph.D., Nazarene Theological Seminary (retired) Robert L. Woodruff, Ph.D., World Mission Educational Coordinator David Busic, Pastor, Central Church of the Nazarene, Lenexa, KS Michael W. Stipp, Clergy Development Series Foreword written by Al Truesdale Journaling Essay written by Rick Ryding Principal contributors for each module are listed in specific Faculty Guides. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 2

3 Series Foreword A Vision for Christian Ministry: Clergy Education in the Church of the Nazarene The chief purpose of all persons indeed, all of the creation is to worship, love, and serve God. God has made himself known in His deeds of creation and redemption. As the Redeemer, God has called into existence a people: the Church, who embody, celebrate, and declare His name and His ways. The life of God with His people and the world constitutes the Story of God. That story is recorded principally in the Old and New Testaments, and continues to be told by the resurrected Christ who lives and reigns as Head of His Church. The Church lives to declare the whole Story of God. This it does in many ways in the lives of its members who are even now being transformed by Christ through preaching, the sacraments, in oral testimony, community life, and in mission. All members of the Body of Christ are called to exercise a ministry of witness and service. No one is excluded. In God s own wisdom He calls some persons to fulfill the ministry of proclaiming the gospel and caring for God s people, in a form referred to as the ordained ministry. God is the initial actor in this call, not humans. In the Church of the Nazarene we believe God calls and persons respond. They do not elect the Christian ministry. All persons whom God calls to the ordained ministry should continue to be amazed that He would call them. They should continue to be humbled by God s call. The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene states, we recognize and hold that the Head of the Church calls some men and women to the more official and public work of the ministry. It adds, The church, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, will recognize the Lord s call (Manual, Church of the Nazarene, paragraph 400). An ordained Christian minister has as his or her chief responsibility to declare in many ways the whole Story of God as fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. His or her charge is to tend the flock of God... not under compulsion, but willingly, not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock (1 Pet 5:2-3, NRSV). The minister fulfills this charge under the supervision of Christ, the chief Shepherd (1 Pet 5:4). Such ministry can be fulfilled only after a period of careful preparation. Indeed, given the ever-changing demands placed upon the minister, preparation never ceases. A person who enters the Christian ministry becomes in a distinct sense a steward of the gospel of God (Titus 1:7). A steward is one who is entrusted to care for what belongs to another. A steward may be one who takes care of another person or who manages the property of someone else. All Christians are stewards of the grace of God. But in addition, in a peculiar sense a Christian minister is a steward of the mystery of God, which is Christ, the Redeemer, the Messiah of God. In all faithfulness, the minister is called to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel (Eph 6:19, NRSV). Like Paul, he or she must faithfully preach the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (Eph 3:8-10, NRSV). In fulfilling this commission, there is plenty of room for diligence and alertness, but no room for laziness or privilege (Titus 1:5-9). Good stewards recognize that they are 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 3

4 stewards only, not the owners, and that they will give an account of their stewardship to the master. Faithfulness to one s charge and to the Lord who issued it is the steward s principal passion. When properly understood, the Christian ministry should never be thought of as a job. It is ministry uniquely Christian ministry. No higher responsibility or joy can be known than to become a steward of the Story of God in Christ s Church. The person who embraces God s call to the ordained ministry will stand in the company of the apostles, the Early Fathers of the Church, the Reformers of the Middle Ages, the Protestant Reformers, and many persons around the world today who joyfully serve as stewards of the gospel of God. Obviously, one who does not recognize, or who understands but rejects, just how complete and inclusive a minister s stewardship must be, should not start down the path that leads to ordination. In a peculiar sense, a Christian minister must in all respects model the gospel of God. He or she is to shun the love of money. Instead, the minister must pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. He or she must fight the good fight of the faith and take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called (1 Tim 6:11-12, NRSV). Hence, the Church of the Nazarene believes the minister of Christ is to be in all things a pattern to the flock in punctuality, discretion, diligence, earnestness; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left (2 Cor 6:6-7) (Manual, Church of the Nazarene, paragraph 401.1). The minister of Christ must be above reproach as God's steward, not selfwilled, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching... able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. (Titus 1:7-9, NASB). In order to be a good steward of God s Story one must, among other things, give oneself to careful and systematic study, both before and after ordination. This will occur not because he or she is forced to do so, but out of a love for God and His people, the world He is working to redeem, and out of an inescapable sense of responsibility. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the attitude one brings to preparation for the ministry reveals much about what he or she thinks of God, the gospel, and Christ s Church. The God who became incarnate in Jesus and who made a way of salvation for all gave His very best in the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. In order to be a good steward, a Christian minister must respond in kind. Jesus told numerous parables about stewards who did not recognize the importance of what had been entrusted to them (Mt 21:33-44; 25:14-30; Mk 13:34-37; Lk 12:35-40; 19:11-27; 20:9-18). Preparation for ministry in Christ s Church one s education in all its dimensions should be pursued in full light of the responsibility before God and His people that the ministry involves. This requires that one take advantage of the best educational resources at his or her disposal. The Church of the Nazarene recognizes how large is the responsibility associated with the ordained Christian ministry and accepts it fully. Part of the way we recognize our responsibility before God is seen in the requirements we make for ordination and the practice of ministry. We believe the call to and practice of Christian ministry is a gift, not a right or privilege. We believe God holds a minister to the highest of religious, moral, personal, and professional standards. We are not reluctant to expect those 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 4

5 standards to be observed from the time of one s call until his or her death. We believe Christian ministry should first be a form of worship. The practice of ministry is both an offering to God and a service to His Church. By the miracle of grace, the work of the ministry can become a means of grace for God s people (Rom 12:1-3). One s education for ministry is also a form of worship. The modules comprising the Course of Study that may lead a person to candidacy for ordination have been carefully designed to prepare one for the kind of ministry we have described. Their common purpose is to provide a holistic preparation for entrance into the ordained Christian ministry. They reflect the Church s wisdom, experience, and responsibility before God. The modules show how highly the Church of the Nazarene regards the gospel, the people of God, the world for which Christ gave His life, and Christian ministry. Completing the modules will normally take three or four years. But no one should feel pressured to meet this schedule. The careful study for which the modules call should show that before God and His Church one accepts the stewardly responsibility associated with ordained ministry. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 5

6 Acknowledgments Every module is the accumulation of effort by many people. Someone writes the original manuscript, others offer suggestions to strengthen the content and make the material more easily understood, and finally an editor formats the module for publication. This module is not different. Many people have contributed to this module. Every effort has been made to represent accurately the original intent of the principal contributors. Principal Contributor The principal contributor for this module is Dr. Henry W. Spaulding, II. Dr. Spaulding is dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, director of the Graduate Program in Religion, and professor of Theology and Philosophy at Trevecca Nazarene University, where he has taught since Before that he taught at Eastern Nazarene College between 1982 and Dr. Spaulding has also pastored on the Georgia and Virginia districts. He received his bachelor of arts in religion and history from Trevecca Nazarene University, master of divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary, and the doctor of philosophy from Florida State University. He has published several articles in the Wesleyan Theological Journal and has written a book titled Untangling the Sexual Revolution with Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City. He has also written for Holiness Today as well as several other denominational publications. He has presented twice at the American Academy of Religion. Spaulding is a Sunday School teacher and he resides in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with his wife and two children. He also has one married child who lives in Tennessee. Responder Each module was reviewed by at least one content specialist to ensure that the content did not represent a single, narrow view or opinion. The responder provided suggestions the principal contributor could integrate into this module. Frank Garton was the responder for this module and contributed several case studies for classroom use. Dr. Garton, an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, is senior counselor for Olivet Nazarene University and teaches in the Psychology Department. He was selected as Olivet Nazarene University Teacher of the Year in Dr. Garton has pastored in Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. He has been active in community activities as facilitator/counselor for grief and loss support groups and seminars, served on the county Board of Health and the American Red Cross. Frank was Olivet s house captain, for the popular Christmas-In-April project, which rehabilitates the homes of low income and elderly of the community. For five years he served as Early Morning Host of the Journeys with Frank Garton over the WONU radio station. Other interests include photography, cycling, motorcycling, collecting, and reading poetry. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 6

7 Contents Page Series Foreword... 3 Acknowledgments... 6 Syllabus... 8 Unit 1: The Nature of Ethical Reflection Lesson 1: Defining Ethics...20 Lesson 2: Major Challenges to Ethical Reflection...26 Lesson 3: Old Testament Perspectives on Ethics...28 Lesson 4: New Testament Perspectives on Ethics...35 Unit 2: Philosophical Ethics Lesson 5: Utilitarianism...43 Lesson 6: Natural Rights...53 Lesson 7: Kantianism...62 Lesson 8: Virtue Ethics...71 Unit 3: Theological Ethics Lesson 9: Patristic Ethics...81 Lesson 10: Medieval Ethics...93 Lesson 11: Modern Ethics Unit 4: Wesleyan-Holiness Ethics Lesson 12: Renewal of the Image of God as the Goal of Humanity Lesson 13: Holiness as Holy Conduct Lesson 14: Holiness as Social Holiness Lesson 15: Grace, Justice, and Reconciliation Unit 5: Ethical Decision-making and Contemporary Issues Lesson 16: Facing the Issue of Sexuality Lesson 17: Integrity and Confidentiality within the Church Lesson 18: Setting an Example for Believers in Family Life Unit 6: Character Development and Spiritual Formation Lesson 19: Christian Discipleship and the Virtues Lesson 20: Understanding the Church as a Resource for Moral Decision-Making Appendix: Glossary Endnotes , Nazarene Publishing House 7

8 Syllabus Living Ethical Lives Educational Institution, Setting, or Educational Provider: Location of the Course: Course Dates: Name of the Instructor: Instructor s Address, Telephone, and Address: Module Vision Statement: From its very beginning the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition has emphasized the moral implications of the gospel. This theme is not unique to the Holiness tradition because all Christians understand that healthy Christianity bears fruit. The purpose of this module is to call attention to this reality by pointing toward the multiple sources and resources for Christian character found in Scripture, as it has been handed on to each new generation. Special attention will be given to the unique way in which moral reflection has characterized the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. Another trajectory for this module is Christian character. Such things as integrity, fidelity, consistency, and generosity speak to the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Part of the importance of this module is to be found in calling attention to the crucial sense in which embodying the faith should be understood as a material outgrowth of the preaching of the gospel. In other words, to preach the gospel without the intention to live it out is unthinkable in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. This module will be organized into six units. Unit 1 will attempt to define ethics and suggest some of the challenges presented to moral reflection. This section will also set out some of the Old Testament and New Testament for moral reflection. Unit 2 will set out in basic terms some of the major schools of philosophical ethics. Unit 3 will do the same with theological Ethics. Unit 4 will treat Wesleyan-Holiness ethics. Unit 5 will deal with several moral questions currently confronting the Church and the Christian. Here the attempt will be to define the issues and the resources evident in the Holiness tradition for confronting the issues. Unit 6 will conclude the module by addressing the relationship between character development and spiritual formation. The organization of this module is a deliberate attempt to avoid making ethics a purely theoretical exercise. Rather, at every turn the very practical issues of moral decision-making will form the basic argument. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 8

9 Educational Assumptions 1. The work of the Holy Spirit is essential to any process of Christian education at any level. We will consistently request and expect the Spirit s presence within and among us. 2. Christian teaching and learning is best done in the context of community (people being and working together). Community is the gift of the Spirit but may be enhanced or hindered by human effort. Communities have common values, stories, practices, and goals. Explicit effort will be invested to enhance community within the class. Group work will take place in every lesson. 3. Every adult student has knowledge and experiences to contribute to the class. We learn not only from the instructor and the reading assignments, but also from each other. Each student is valued not only as a learner but also as a teacher. That is one reason so many exercises in this course are cooperative and collaborative in nature. 4. Journaling is an ideal way to bring theory and practice together as students synthesize the principles and content of the lessons with their own experiences, preferences, and ideas. Outcome Statements This module contributes to the development of the following abilities as defined in the U.S. Sourcebook for Ministerial Development. PROGRAM OUTCOMES CH1 Ability to apply a basic understanding of ethical theories to teach and nurture ethical behavior in the Christian community CH2 Ability to discern and make theologically based ethical decisions in the midst of a complex and/or paradoxical context CH3 Ability to teach and model sexual purity CH4 Ability to understand and apply the unique ethical dimensions of spiritual leadership in the church CH5 Ability to apply Christian ethics to the issues of integrity, specifically as they relate to ministers and laity for authentic Christian faithfulness and public witness CH12 Ability to practice faithful stewardship of personal relations including gender relationships, marriage and family, personal finance, and professional conduct CX1 Ability to discover sociological dynamics and trends and to apply that information to specific ministry settings CX8 Ability to place the ministry context in light of the large schemes of world and national history Recommended Reading Each module within the Modular Course of Study is intended to be textbook independent. This does not imply that the modules are textbook irrelevant, or that the module content cannot be enriched by selecting and requiring that students study a textbook along with the lessons provided in this faculty guide. For this module the following are recommended for reading and for your library: 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 9

10 Diener, Paul W. Religion and Morality: An Introduction. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, MacIntyre, Alasdair. A Short History of Ethics: A History of Moral Philosophy from the Homeric Age to the Twentieth Century. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc., 1966, Provides an even-handed telling of the some of the major contributors and themes of Western moral reflection. Wogaman, J. Philip. Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, Provides an excellent general introduction to the field. It will fit nicely with part of the organization of the module, in that it is organized historically. Course Requirements 1. Class attendance, attention, and participation are especially important. Students are responsible for all assignments and in-class work. Much of the work in this course is small-group work. Cooperative, small-group work cannot be made up. That makes attendance imperative. Even if one does extra reading or writing, the values of discussion, dialogue, and learning from each other are thwarted. If one lesson is missed, the instructor will require extra work before completion can be acknowledged. If two or more classes are missed, the student will be required to repeat the whole module. Small-Group Work. Nothing is more important in this course than small-group work. The class members will be assigned to groups of two to four students each. The group members will serve as study partners for explorations and discussion. 2. Assignments Journaling: The only ongoing assignment for this module is your journal. It is to be used regularly, if not daily. On at least one occasion during the term, the instructor will check the journals. In each lesson a journal assignment is included. The journal should become the student s friend and treasury of insights, devotions, and ideas. Here the integration of theory and practice occurs. The spiritual life nature of the journal helps guard against the course of study being merely academic as you are repeatedly called upon to apply the principles studied to your own heart and your own ministry situation. This journal is not a diary, not a catchall. It is, rather, a guided journal or a focused journal in which the educational experience and its implications are selected for reflection and writing. The framers of this curriculum are concerned about the way that students fall into learning about the Bible, or about the spiritual life rather than learning that is coming to know and internalize the Bible and spiritual principles. The journaling experience ensures that the Be component of Be, Know, and Do is present in the course of study. Be faithful with all journaling assignments. Daily Work: This module has regular homework assignments. It is called daily work because even though the class may only meet once a week, the student should be working on the module on a daily basis. Sometimes the homework 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 10

11 assignments are quite heavy. The assignments are important. Even if homework is not discussed in class every session, the work is to be handed in. This gives the instructor regular information about the student s progress in the course. The normal time for homework to be handed in is at the beginning of each class session. All assignments are to be completed. Course Outline and Schedule The class will meet for 30 hours according to the following schedule: Lesson Date Lesson Time 1. Defining Ethics 2. Major Challenges to Ethical Reflection 3. Old Testament Perspectives on Ethics 4. New Testament Perspectives on Ethics 5. Utilitarianism 6. Natural Rights 7. Kantianism 8. Virtue Ethics 9. Patristic Ethics 10. Medieval Ethics 11. Modern Ethics 12. Renewal of the Image of God as the Goal of Humanity 13. Holiness as Holy Conduct 14. Holiness as Social Holiness 15. Grace, Justice, and Reconciliation 16. Facing the Issue of Sexuality 17. Integrity and Confidentiality within the Church 18. Setting an Example for Believers in Family Life 19. Christian Discipleship and the Virtues 20. Understanding the Church as a Resource for Moral Decision-Making 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 11

12 Course Evaluation The instructor, the course itself, and the student s progress will be evaluated. These evaluations will be made in several ways. The progress of students will be evaluated with an eye for enhancing the learning experience by: 1. Carefully observing the small-group work, noting the competence of reports, the balance of discussion, the quality of the relationships, the cooperation level, and the achievement of assigned tasks 2. Careful reading of homework assignments 3. Completion of all homework assignments 4. Journal checks The course materials and the teacher will be evaluated by frequently asking and discussing the effectiveness and relevance of a certain method, experience, story, lecture, or other activity. Some evaluation cannot be made during the class itself. Some objectives will not be measurable for years to come. If students encounter the transforming power of God at deeper levels than ever before, learn devotional skills and practice them with discipline, and incorporate the best of this course into their own ministries, the fruit of this educational endeavor could go on for a long time. In truth, that is what we expect. Additional Information A reasonable effort to assist every student will be made. Any student who has handicaps, learning disabilities, or other conditions that make the achievement of the class requirements exceedingly difficult should make an appointment with the instructor as soon as possible to see what special arrangements can be made. Any student who is having trouble understanding the assignments, lectures, or other learning activities should talk to the instructor to see what can be done to help. Instructor s Availability Good faith efforts to serve the students both in and beyond the classroom will be made. Journaling: A Tool for Personal Reflection and Integration Participating in the Course of Study is the heart of your preparation for ministry. To complete each module you will be required to listen to lectures, read books and articles, participate in discussions, and write papers. Content mastery is the goal. An equally important part of ministerial preparation is spiritual formation. Some might choose to call spiritual formation devotions, while others might refer to it as growth in grace. Whichever title you place on the process, it is the intentional cultivation of your relationship with God. The module work will be helpful in adding to your knowledge, your skills, and your ability to do ministry. The spiritual formation work will weave all you learn into the fabric of your being, allowing your education to flow freely from your head through your heart to those you serve. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 12

13 Although there are many spiritual disciplines to help you cultivate your relationship with God, journaling is the critical skill that ties them all together. Journaling simply means keeping a record of your experiences and the insights you have gained along the way. It is a discipline because it does require a good deal of work faithfully to spend daily time in your journal. Many people confess this is a practice they tend to push aside when pressed by their many other responsibilities. Even five minutes a day spent journaling can make a major difference in your education and your spiritual development. Let me explain. Consider journaling time spent with your best friend. Onto the pages of a journal you will pour out your candid responses to the events of the day, the insights you gained from class, a quote gleaned from a book, and an ah-ha that came to you as two ideas connected. This is not the same as keeping a diary, since a diary seems to be a chronicle of events without the personal dialogue. The journal is the repository for all of your thoughts, reactions, prayers, insights, visions, and plans. Though some people like to keep complex journals with sections for each type of reflection, others find a simple running commentary more helpful. In either case, record the date and the location at the beginning of every journal entry. It will help you when it comes time to review your thoughts. It is important to chat briefly about the logistics of journaling. All you will need is a pen and paper to begin. Some folks prefer loose-leaf paper that can be placed in a three-ring binder, others like spiral-bound notebooks, while others enjoy using composition books. Whichever style you choose, it is important to develop a pattern that works for you. Establishing a time and a place for writing in your journal is essential. If there is no space etched out for journaling, it will not happen with the regularity needed to make it valuable. It seems natural to spend time journaling after the day is over and you can sift through all that has transpired. Yet family commitments, evening activities, and fatigue militate against this time slot. Morning offers another possibility. Sleep filters much of the previous day s experiences, and processes deep insights, that can be recorded first thing in the morning. In conjunction with devotions, journaling enables you to begin to weave your experiences with the Word, and also with module material that has been steeping on the back burner of your mind. You will probably find that carrying your journal will allow you to jot down ideas that come to you at odd times throughout the day. It seems we have been suggesting that journaling is a handwritten exercise. Some may be wondering about doing their work on a computer. Traditionally, there is a special bond between hand, pen, and paper. It is more personal, direct, and aesthetic. And it is flexible, portable, and available. With regular use, your journal is the repository of your journey. As important as it is to make daily entries, it is equally important to review your work. Read over each week s record at the end of the week. Make a summary statement and note movements of the Holy Spirit or your own growth. Do a monthly review of your journal every 30 days. This might best be done on a half-day retreat where you can prayerfully focus on your thoughts in solitude and silence. As you do this, you will begin to see the accumulated value of the Word, your module work, and your experience in ministry all coming together in ways you had not considered possible. This is integration weaving together faith development and learning. Integration moves information from your head to your heart so that ministry is a matter of being 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 13

14 rather than doing. Journaling will help you answer the central question of education: Why do I do what I do when I do it? Journaling really is the linchpin in ministerial preparation. Your journal is the chronicle of your journey into spiritual maturity as well as content mastery. These volumes will hold the rich insights that will pull your education together. A journal is the tool for integration. May you treasure the journaling process! Bibliography Albert, Ethel M., Theodore Denise, and Sheldon Peterfreund. Great Traditions in Ethics. Sixth edition, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Arthur, John A. Morality and Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social, and Political Philosophy. Seventh edition, Upper Saddle River, NY: Prentice-Hall, Arthur, William. The Power of True Christianity: Spiritual Effects. In Great Holiness Classics. Vol. 4, The 19th-Century Holiness Movement. Edited by Melvin Dieter. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Atherton, John, ed. Christian Social Ethics: A Reader. Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press, Bailey, Derrick Sherwin. Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition. London: Archon Books, Balswick, Jack O., and Judith K. Balswick. The Family: A Christian Perspective on the Contemporary Home. Second edition, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1989, Baron, John. Understanding Old Testament Ethics: Approaches and Explorations. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, Bonino, Jose Miquez. Wesley s Doctrine of Sanctification from a Liberationist Perspective. In Sanctification and Liberation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, Clapp, Rodney. Families at the Crossroads. Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, Carter, Charles. God s Ethical Ideal for Humanity. In Contemporary Wesleyan Theology, Vol. 2. Salem, OH: Schmul Publishing Church of the Nazarene. Manual, Kansas City: Nazarene Publishing House, Clebsch, William A., and Charles R. Jackle. Pastoral Care in Historical Perspective. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers/Harper Torchbooks, Cloyd, Betty Shannon. Children and Prayer. Nashville: Upper Room Books, Diener, Paul W. Religion and Morality: An Introduction. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, , Nazarene Publishing House 14

15 Dunning, H. Ray. Grace, Faith, and Holiness. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Reflecting the Divine Image: Christian Ethics in Wesleyan Perspective. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, Foot, Philippa, ed. Theories of Ethics: Oxford Readings in Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1967, Ford, David. Self and Salvation: Being Transformed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex, and Power. San Francisco: Harper and Row, Frankena, William K. Ethics. Second edition, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., Furnish, Victor. The Moral Teaching of Paul: Selected Issues. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1979, Geis, Sally B. Book Reviews. Christian Century (Jan 18, 1995): Grider, J. Kenneth. A Wesleyan-Holiness Theology. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Grenz, Stanley. Sexual Ethics: An Evangelical Perspective. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, Gustafson, James M. Christian Ethics and the Community. Philadelphia: Pilgrim Press, The Church as Moral Decision-Maker. Boston: Pilgrim Press, Ethics from a Theocentric Perspective, 2 Vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981, Harper, Steve. Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition. Nashville: Upper Books, Hart, Archibald. The Sexual Man: Masculinity Without Guilt. Dallas: Word Publishers, Hauerwas, Stanley. After Christendom? How the Church Is to Behave If Freedom, Justice, and a Christian Nation Are Bad Ideas. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, Character and the Christian Life: A Study in Theological Ethics. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, , Nazarene Publishing House 15

16 . A Community of Character: Toward a Constructive Christian Social Ethic. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, The Ekklesia Project: A Declaration and an Invitation to All Christians. In A Better Hope: Resources for a Church Confronting Capitalism, Democracy, and Postmodernity. Grand Rapids: Baker Books/Brazos Press, 2000, The Sanctified Body: Why Perfection Does Not Require a Self. In Sanctify Them in the Truth: Holiness Exemplified. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998, Heitzenrater, Richard P., ed. The Poor and the People Called Methodists Nashville: Kingswood Books/Abingdon Press, Hinmon, Lawrence M. Ethics: A Pluralistic Approach to Moral Theory. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, Jennings, Jr., Theodore W. Good News to the Poor: John Wesley s Evangelical Economics. Nashville: Abingdon Press, Jenson, Robert, Systematic Theology. Vol. 2, The Works of God, New York: Oxford University Press, Kant, Immanuel. Duties Toward the Body in Respect to Sexual Impulse. In Morality and Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social, and Political Philosophy. Edited by John Arthur. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002, Kaiser, Jr., Walter. Toward Old Testament Ethics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, Klaiber, Walter, and Manfred Marquardt. Living Grace: An Outline of United Methodist Theology. Translated by J. Steven O Malley and Ulrike M. Guthrie. Nashville: Abingdon Press, Labacqz, Karen. Appropriate Vulnerability: A Sexual Ethic for Singles. In Christian Century (May 6, 1987): Lehmann, Paul. Ethics in a Christian Context. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, Leith, John H., ed. Creeds of the Churches: A Reader in Christian Doctrine from the Bible to the Present. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, Inc./ Anchor Books, MacIntyre, Alasdair. After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory. Second edition, Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, A Short History of Ethics: A History of Moral Philosophy from the Homeric Age to the Twentieth Century. New York: Macmillian Publishing Company, Inc, , Nazarene Publishing House 16

17 Maddox, Randy. Nurturing the New Creation: Reflections on a Wesleyan Trajectory. In Wesleyan Perspectives on the New Creation. Edited by M. Douglas Meeks. Nashville: Kingswood Books/Abingdon, Responsible Grace: John Wesley s Practical Theology. Nashville: Abingdon Press, Malloy, Michael. Am I My Brother s Keeper: The AIDS Crisis and the Church. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Marquardt, Manfred. John Wesley s Social Ethics: Praxis and Principles. Translated by John E. Steely and W. Stephen Gunter. Nashville: Abingdon Press, Matera, Frank. New Testament Ethics: The Legacies of Jesus and Paul. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, McClendon, James, and James M. Smith. Convictions. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, McNeill, John J. Homosexuality: Challenging the Church to Grow. In The Christian Century (March 11, 1987): Meeks, M. Douglas, ed. Wesleyan Perspectives on the New Creation. Nashville: Kingswood Books/Abingdon, Milbank, John. Theology and Social Theory. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1990, Niebuhr, Reinhold. Moral Man and Immoral Society. New York: Charles Scribner s Son, Neilson, Kai. Ethics Without God. Revised edition, Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, Nouwen, Henri J.M. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Leadership. New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, Oden, Thomas. Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, Ogletree, Thomas W. Hospitality to the Stranger: Dimensions of Moral Understanding. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, Pohl, Christine D. Making Room: Recovery Hospitality as a Christian Tradition. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Porter, Burton. Reasons for Living: A Basic Ethics. New York: Macmillan, Powell, Samuel M., and Michael E. Lodahl. Embodied Holiness: Toward a Corporate Theology of Spiritual Growth. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, Rachels, James. The Elements of Moral Philosophy. Fourth edition, Boston: McGraw Hill, , Nazarene Publishing House 17

18 Runkle, Gerald. Ethics: An Examination of Contemporary Moral Problems. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Runyon, Theodore. The New Creation: John Wesley s Theology Today. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998., ed. Sanctification and Liberation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation. New York: Avon Books, Smith, Timothy. Revivalism and Social Reform: American Protestantism on the Eve of the Civil War. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, Spaulding, Henry, II. Untangling the Sexual Revolution: Rethinking Our Sexual Ethic. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Stone, Ronald. John Wesley s Life and Ethics. Nashville: Abingdon Press, Taylor, Richard. Exploring Christian Holiness. Vol. 3, The Theological Formulation. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Thompson, Marjorie J. Family: The Forming Center. Nashville: Upper Room Books, Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, Tracy, Wes, Gary Cockerill, Donald Demaray, and Steve Harper. Reflecting God. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Tracy, Wesley, D., E. Dee Freeborn, Janine Tartaglia, and Morris A. Weigelt. The Upward Call: Spiritual Formation and the Holy Life. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Trull, Joe E., and James E. Carter. Ministerial Ethics: Being a Good Minister in a Notso-Good World. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, Wigger, J. Bradley. The Power of God at Home: Nurturing Our Children in Love and Grace. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Wiley, H. Orton. Christian Theology, 3 Vols.. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Willimon, William H. Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life. Nashville: Abingdon Press, Wogaman, J. Philip. Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993., and Douglas M. Strong, eds. Readings in Christian Ethics: A Historical Sourcebook. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox, , Nazarene Publishing House 18

19 Wynkoop, Mildred Bangs. A Theology of Love: The Dynamic of Wesleyanism. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, , Nazarene Publishing House 19

20 Unit 1: The Nature of Ethical Reflection Lesson 1: Defining Ethics Due This Lesson None Learner Objectives By the end of this lesson, participants will define ethics identify the major streams of moral reflection link faith to ethical reflection define the relationship between what is real, how we know, and how I should act identify the relationship and difference between philosophical and theological ethics Homework Assignments Write a 2- to 3-page essay in which you define ethics and reflect on what might make such reflection difficult. Make a journal entry that locates and discusses at least five scriptural passages that might inform ethical reflection. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 20

21 Resource 1-1 A Basic Definition of Philosophy Ethics is one of the practices of philosophy and theology. A simple definition of philosophy is the search for wisdom. Socrates, the father of Western philosophy, once said, The unexamined life is not worth living. Philosophy reaches to every aspect of life. Philosophy is about everything. Philosophy is an activity of reason. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 21

22 Resource 1-2 The Basic Streams of Western Philosophy and How They Are Connected The basic streams of Western philosophy are: Metaphysics Epistemology Ethics Metaphysics is sometimes called first philosophy because it asks the most basic philosophical question: what is real? Epistemology concerns how we know anything. Traditionally, it has been understood that knowledge comes by experience or by reason. Regarding experience knowledge comes by the seeing, hearing, touching, etc. The root word of epistemology is the same word translated in the New Testament as faith. Epistemology is how we test what we think is real. Ethics is the most practical stream of philosophy. A simple definition of ethics is a disciplined reflection on the formation of a healthy character and its relationship to virtuous action. A basic question for ethics is What ought I to do? The first ethical question is never what should I do, but what is God like? 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 22

23 Resource 1-3 Two Basic Streams of Ethics Deontological ethics is the type of moral reflection characterized by deciding what is right by use of reason unaffected by circumstances. Therefore, there is no interest in consequences of actions. There is a certain form of ethical action that renders it virtuous. Immanuel Kant is a good example of this kind of ethical theory. Teleological ethics is the type of moral reflection characterized by happiness or the embodying of character. Here the end is crucial to the moral life. Aristotle is the first example of this in Western philosophy. The moral act establishes a person. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 23

24 Resource 1-4 A Basic Description of How Philosophical and Theological Ethics Are Related The relationship between philosophical and theological ethics enjoys a long history. Augustine depends upon Platonism/Neo-Platonism. Platonism locates the form of the good in an eternal category. Neo-Platonism is a late Greek philosophy; important feature here is that goodness becomes evil by being emptied or deprived of the good. What philosophical and theological ethics share: the use of reason a concern for virtue dependence upon a metaphysic either a deontological or teleological orientation What makes philosophical and theological ethics different: theological ethics presupposes revelation and philosophical ethics does not philosophical ethics assumes the cardinal virtues wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance but theological ethics completes them with the virtues of faith, hope, and love philosophical ethics searches for an appropriate orientation while theological ethics finds its natural orientation in Scripture; for a Wesleyan this is expanded to include tradition, reason, and experience philosophical ethics is interminable, it has no place finally to arbitrate its perception of virtue, while theological ethics can finally come to rest in a life of faith-lived-incommunity 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 24

25 Resource 1-5 The Moral Imagination Thomas McCollough in The Moral Imagination characterizes the moral imagination in the following way: Capacity to empathize Discerning of creative possibilities for ethical actions Ability to see in light of the whole Leaning toward a hopeful future Broadens and deepens the context of decision-making 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 25

26 Lesson 2: Major Challenges to Ethical Reflection Due This Lesson Essay Journaling Learner Objectives By the end of this lesson, participants will define some of the major issues that make ethical reflection difficult understand the problem presented by egoism understand the problem with relativism understand the problem with determinism define the importance of the distinction between sympathy and morality understand the relationship between morality and religion Homework Assignments Read a newspaper and find a story that reflects either a disregard for moral implications, lazy sympathy, or bad morality. Write a short 2- to 3-page essay that points to these problems. Make a journal entry that reflects upon the Closing Thought. Closing Thought As Christians we will speak more truthfully to our society and be of greater service by refusing to continue the illusion that the larger social order knows what it is talking about when it calls for justice , Nazarene Publishing House 26

27 Resource 2-1 Challenges to Moral Decision-Making Egoism attempts to frame every decision in light of personal benefit Relativism/Pluralism attempts to level all moral distinctions by suggesting nothing is more true than anything else the intellectual conviction that multiple and equal centers of value exist Determinism suggests all human choices are affected by outside forces in some fashion The extreme form of this is called hard determinism, which holds that all human freedom is an illusion. Soft determinism our choices are affected, but not compelled. Sympathy as a moral concern is the more or less emotional reaction to a circumstance with little or no interest in moral reasoning Bad Morality is the inappropriate moral reflection that justifies a vice in the name of a virtue Bad morality arises out of need to be correct and refuses to be critiqued. Religion and Morality Does morality have anything to do with religion? Can a religious person not be moral? Must a moral person be religious? 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 27

28 Lesson 3: Old Testament Perspectives on Ethics Due This Lesson Essay Journaling Learner Objectives By the end of this lesson, participants will define and apply the major themes of the Old Testament to moral reflection understand the particular importance of covenant for moral reflection understand the prophetic voice in the Old Testament for morality understand the practical wisdom of the Old Testament for morality Homework Assignments Write a 2-or 3-page essay on the moral implications of the following passage of scripture. Be sure to define the theological issues as well as the moral implications of the passage. Look at Jeremiah 15:1-8. Make a journal entry reflecting your interaction with the content of this lesson. Reflect on the Thought for Consideration. Thought for Consideration A conviction is a belief that endures and defines a particular person or community. Further a conviction, because it endures, will not be surrendered easily and when it is, a significant change emerges. 2005, Nazarene Publishing House 28